


The Almyran Prince & Me

by PagesFromNeptune



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: ...maybe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But they will kiss don’t u worry, Claude von Riegan is a Little Shit, Claude von Riegan winks a lot, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Rhea is kind of bad guy too, Romance, Slow Burn, So is Hilda, TWSITD as main antagonist for story purposes, byleth is a student, lots and lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-10-29 03:46:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20790089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PagesFromNeptune/pseuds/PagesFromNeptune
Summary: Claude von Riegan arrives at the Officer’s Academy at Garreg Mach Monastary as the Golden Deer house leader and the new heir to House Riegan, much to everyone’s surprise. Everybody is wondering who he is and where he came from. Little does everyone know, he’s hiding a huge secret but only one person seems to be catching on... Byleth.Alternate Universe (AU) story where Byleth is not a professor at the Academy, but a first-year student in the Golden Deer House. This is a story exploring the development of Claude and Byleth’s relationship as they slowly become friends, and even more than friends. As they break down their walls, they start to uncover each other's secrets... and some of the Church's as well.





	1. The New Kid

**Author's Note:**

> Is the work’s title and premise inspired by the extremely cheesy 2004 rom-com movie called The Prince & Me? Maybe... *insert Claude wink* 
> 
> Alternate Universe notes:  
1) Formerly traveling mercenaries, Jeralt was recently appointed as the Captain of the Knights of Seiros;  
2) (F!)Byleth enrolled as a student at the Academy shortly afterwards  
3) Byleth wears the DLC Academy uniform - cute pink hairband and all!  
3) The story’s events will loosely follow the timeline of the FE3H plot, mostly sticking to the Golden Deer story, with a blend of the Church route as well. However, information that can be learned from other routes may be introduced in this story - so beware - there will be spoilers!

“Look over there.”

Leonie leaned into the table. She had the side of her mouth covered slightly as she whispered to Byleth, Hilda, and Lysithea. They were all seated at the end of a table in the dining hall, eating lunch when they noticed that a crowd began forming around the back of the room. She cocked her head towards the young man in the center of the crowd gathering the attention.

“Who’s that?” Byleth asked idly, picking at her food while looking over study notes in her textbook. She barely even lifted her gaze to look at the commotion.

“You mean you haven’t heard?!” Hilda exclaimed, waving her hand in front of Byleth’s face to catch her attention. “That’s Claude von Riegan. The new heir to House Riegan and, presumably, the future leader of the Leicester Alliance.”

“Honestly, Byleth! You ought to pay attention to these things,” Lysithea huffed, stuffing a spoonful of peach sorbet in her mouth. Byleth looked up from her book to acknowledge her friends and shrugged, disinterested. 

“Rumor has it,” Lysithea continued, “He appeared out of nowhere! He’s quite a mystery, that Claude. Nobody really knows where he’s been for all these years.”

Hilda leaned her head against her palm, elbow resting on the table, and sighed dreamily. “I _ do _ love a man of mystery!”

“Hilda, _ please... _ ” Byleth mumbled, rolling her eyes as Hilda broke out in giggles. She turned her head towards the crowd and cautiously studied Claude as he was greeting a few dozen of students — mostly female — eagerly crowding around him. From first glance, he looked almost too cool — standing with one hand on his hips and a boyish grin on his face, occasionally running a hand through his messy brown hair. Okay, and _ maybe _ he was a little handsome _ . _ The afternoon sun was dancing on his golden tan skin, giving him an almost ethereal glow from where he was standing. He also had a unique braid on the side of his head adorned with gold accents that glinted and swayed gracefully when he spoke. 

_ His smile is striking, _ Byleth thought to herself. But as she studied him further, she noticed. Sure, he smiled and he told jokes that made the students around him blush and laugh with ease. _ But his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. _ She wondered why that made her so uncomfortable. Is he untrustworthy? Is he just another disingenuous, opportunistic noble? She was not really sure what it is, but she was certain that he was trouble. 

“Earth to Byleth!” Leonie cupped her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice, attempting to pull Byleth out of her stupor. It sharply took Byleth away from her thoughts. She looked shyly at her friends around her, who _ of course _ began to tease her.

“Stop mooning,” Hilda laughed. “Say, you think he’s cute too, huh?”

“Remind me why I’m friends with you all,” Byleth groaned. Feeling the heat rising to her cheeks, she moved her hands to cover her face, which only made Hilda laugh harder. Her friends took turns to join in on the teasing and even tried to mimic the love-struck gaze (Hilda’s words) that Byleth had just moments ago.

“You guys look you’re having fun.”

The four women felt a chilling silence as they turned their attention to the newcomer at their table. _ When did he get here?, _they all wondered, as none other than Claude von Riegan placed his tray down on the table near the group. “Hey, mind if I sit here?”

“Um, n-not at all!” Leonie stuttered, motioning him to sit.

“Thanks,” Claude smiled, sliding on the bench to sit closer to them. He also just happened to slide right next to Byleth, much to her dismay. Hilda sent her wink from across the table and Byleth returned her wink with a frown. “Being the new kid is kind of nerve-wracking, you know? Here I thought I might have to eat lunch alone! You guys really saved me from that embarrassing fate.”

Lysithea stared at him as if he were stupid. “Really? Because you just had—” She was cut off by Hilda elbowing her side.

“What she means is, _ you’re welcome!” _ Hilda exclaimed with a wink. “Anything for our new Golden Deer house leader! By the way, I’m Hilda Valentine Goneril. I don’t think we’ve had the chance to formally meet yet.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure, Hilda,” Claude responded warmly with a wink of his own. “And your names?” He looked to the others at the table.

“Lysithea von Ordelia. Please do not forget it.”

“Leonie Pinelli. The only and greatest apprentice of Jeralt Eisner, the Captain of the Knights of Seiros, also known as the legendary, undefeated Blade Breaker!”

“Byleth.”

If she had any curiosity towards the new lord, Byleth certainly was not showing it now. Her signature stoic expression returned to her face as she resumed studying her textbook, head tilted away from Claude and a finger idly playing with strands of her midnight blue hair.

Leonie groaned. “By! Manners? Anyway, don’t mind her. She doesn’t talk much. But she’s quite impressive with the sword. Not surprising, since she’s the daughter of Jeralt Eisner, the Captain of the Knights of Seiros, the-!”

“Alright, alright, we get it,” Lysithea interrupted impatiently. It wasn't the first time she had to hear Leonie's gushing.

Hilda giggled and turned to Claude. “_Anyway_,” she said in a melodic voice. “Tell us about _ you_! Everyone is quite curious about you.”

“Me?” Claude asked, his voice feigning surprise. He grinned as he casually rested his elbows on the table. “As luck would have it, I'm pretty curious about all of you as well. Ah, but what's life without a bit of mystery? Let's just spend the next year or so learning about each other, little by little.”

Byleth, without lifting her head, raised her eyes to look at Claude, who has now turned his gaze to her. Without showing a glint of emotion, she returned her eyes back to her book. _ Trouble indeed, _ she thought to herself.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“Honestly! What kind of response was that?” Lysithea whispered in bewilderment. The four young Golden Deer students just finished lunch with their new enigmatic house leader and began to make their way towards the classrooms. Claude, perfectly poised and charming as ever, gave each of them a deep bow as they exited the dining hall.

“There’s something off about him, I think,” Leonie mused. “We spent the whole hour talking, but he wiggled his way out of telling us anything about himself.”

“Yeah!” Hilda agreed, coming to a sudden realization. “And he was so smooth about it, I didn’t even notice it during conversation!” 

There was a brief silence, their footsteps filling in for their chatter as they slipped off from the main walkway and onto a bench tucked away among the garden hedges. The gardens were empty right now as students were hurrying along to class before the bell rang. However, the girls relaxed in their seats, momentarily enjoying a rare few minutes of peace at the Academy.

“I would watch what you say around him.” Byleth finally spoke. She moved to place a finger on her chin, raising her head in thought. “He seems… calculating. Like, he’s gathering information about us.” 

Lysithea nodded in agreement. She glanced at the tower clock. “Anyway, let’s go in and get ready for class or else the professor will have us do extra magic drills if we’re late again.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“Professor, I object,” Byleth said between gritted teeth. 

Professor Seteth folded his arms across his chest and looked sternly at the young student. “Miss Eisner, I sincerely hope you’re not objecting to assisting your new House leader.”

“But why does he have to be my partner for the camping trip? Surely Lorenz would be better suited.” Byleth briefly considered begging.

Once a year, the Officer’s Academy organizes a three-day camping trip for new students. Strategically scheduled at the beginning of the school year, the trip presented an opportunity for students to bond with each other. According to Academy legends, partners on this trip were destined to develop deep bonds with each other. It might have something to do with the fact that professors loved to set up grueling trials, designed to test students’ abilities to assess life-threatening situations and to force them to work with their allies for survival. Doing any of these things with Claude, another smug, well-to-do noble with no battle experience, did not sound very appealing to Byleth.

Lorenz looked almost offended by Byleth’s idea. He took a moment to straighten his collar and boldly declared, “I’ll admit I’m not particularly fond of Claude, but it is my duty to ensure the success of the Leicester Alliance. Seeing that Claude _ is _ the heir to House Riegan…” he trails off, eyeing Claude up and down suspiciously before continuing, “I will volunteer to do it if Miss Eisner declines the task.”

“Hey, I’m right here you know!” Claude exclaimed, meekly waving his hand above his head. Seated at the front of the classroom, Claude turned around to look at Lorenz and Byleth incredulously. _ Geez, these guys don’t hold anything back. _

“I’ll do it!” Hilda volunteered excitedly, standing up at her desk. 

“Sit down, Hilda,” Seteth groaned. His face seemed to say: _I don't get paid enough to deal with this group of misfits_. “Miss Eisner, you’ll do as you’re told. It’s an honor to be given this task, as you know.”

Byleth stiffened in her seat. “Yes, Professor.” Feeling defeated, she politely nodded towards Claude. It seemed all was forgiven as Claude, who was still turned around to look at her, gave her a cheeky grin and a wink.

As class was dismissed, Byleth slowly gathered her books and gave her friends a small wave as they headed out the door. In the corner of her eye, she saw a glimmer of a gold cape sauntering over to her. She sighed as she looked up to find Claude’s brilliant emerald eyes staring down at her. Byleth felt a small surge in her pulse. _ Were his eyes always so beautiful? _

Before she could say anything, Claude said sheepishly, “Hey, sorry you’re stuck with me.” He looked tense as cast his eyes downward and his hand to gently rub the back of his head. 

Byleth looked at him curiously and she swore she saw a flush of red across his face. _He looks genuinely embarrassed_, she thought to herself. Byleth couldn’t help but think how he looked much more attractive with his defenses down - with genuine emotion on his face, not that easygoing mask he wore when she first met him. She didn't say any of this, though. Realizing she had been staring at him for too long, she felt her own blush forming. Byleth curtly turned away from him and quickly worked to gather the rest of her books into her arms. “J-just make sure to read the packing list thoroughly,” she said. _ Goddess, was she stuttering? _“You also need to catch up on the assigned readings for basic survival skills and tactics. You just arrived, so you’re weeks behind on the lessons. Come by the library on Sunday and I’ll help you study.”

“You’re offering to be my tutor?” he asked, a hint of mischievousness rising in his voice. Byleth didn’t miss it, and she didn’t even need to look at him to know he had a shit-eating grin on his face. Probably looking cocky. 

“Yes,” Byleth responded quickly. With her arms full of textbooks, she sped towards the door. She sighed deeply as she exited the classroom, but nearly fell over when she heard him calling after her.

“Alright, see ya Sunday, Teach!”


	2. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Teach?”
> 
> “You really have to stop calling me that,” Byleth sighed. “And you’re distracting me.”
> 
> “Byleth,” Claude corrected himself with a mischievous grin. “So, you’re saying you find me distracting?”
> 
> A chapter from Claude's perspective! Our soft Golden Deer boy tries to understand what home is.

Claude von Riegan was a fighter. At least, that was what he repeated to himself over and over as he laid in bed, his skin damp with cold sweat and a warm cloth draped over his forehead. With a shaky breath, he slowly opened his eyes and scanned the empty bedroom. He was in the capital city of Derdriu and has been restricted to bed rest for the past week. 

“It’s the third time this month,” he heard someone hiss loudly from outside his room. He instantly recognizes the voice. _ Nader_. 

After Claude learned that the late Duke Riegan, his uncle, appointed him as the next heir to House Riegan, the young lord was beside himself in shock. In spite of his parents' protests, Claude decided that he wanted — no, _ needed _ — to see Fódlan for himself. He wondered what would this mysterious land be like, the place that shaped his mother and that held half of his own blood. 

Claude, if he could be described in one word, was an idealist. Deep within his mind swirling with schemes, he hoped that Fódlan was the key unlocking his dreams. He dreamt of a world without prejudice, such as the kind he suffered his entire life for his half-Fódlan heritage. He hoped this could be a land that would allow anyone to prosper, regardless of their backgrounds, be it socioeconomic standing, religion, or race.

_ But I was a fool_, Claude thought bitterly to himself as he felt another rush of pain searing through his chest. 

Since arriving in Derdriu three weeks ago, he hasn’t exactly received a warm welcome to the Alliance. There were even three attempts on his life. An anonymous letter was delivered to Claude’s grandfather, espousing hatred towards _ the Almyran _staking a claim in House Riegan. The estate was on high alert after receiving such a disturbing letter, but within the first few days, two assassins attempted to kill Claude. Both attempts were intercepted by none other than Judith von Daphnel, who also happened to be his mother’s closest friend in Fódlan. 

Claude was unfortunately used to protecting himself in this way, having persevered through years of torment for being a _ half-breed _ (as his enemies liked to call him). He was cautious, but he did not anticipate someone to lace his beloved books with a poison, which is what caused his current disheveled state. How ironic was it that both his homelands were so different, yet they seem to have this much in common. 

The room door creaked open and he sighed in relief when he saw two familiar faces, Judith and Nader, step into the room. Judith placed a silver tray of tea and pastries at the bedside table. 

“Am I glad to see you guys and not another assassin,” Claude tried to joke. His voice croaked. 

Judith chuckled at him while she poured Claude a cup of tea. “Sorry, it’s chamomile. I couldn’t find the Almyran Pine stuff you like so much.”

“Ah, please, Judith. This is great." Claude took small sips and savored the way the warm tea soothed his burning throat. He then turned to Nader, his trusted friend, former combat instructor, and the most celebrated warrior of Almyra. “My friend, I’m surprised to see you here. Were that worried about me? I’m touched.”

“Always joking, aren’t ya kid?” Nader sighed, shaking his head. He walked over to the other side of Claude’s bed and looked at him sternly. “I’m going to cut right to it. The King and Queen are demanding I take you home immediately.” Claude’s eyes widened and his heart began racing. _ No, no! _ He opened his mouth to protest, but Judith beat him to it.

“Yeah, that’s not happening,” Judith said nonchalantly, her piercing blue eyes staring down the the Almyran warrior with authority and ease. She calmly poured more tea, which Claude accepted without saying a word.

“Well, excuse me, _Miss Hero of Daphnel_,” Nader spat back. He strode over to face Judith and towered over her. “But Claude here has obligations to fulfill in Almyra. Obligations he can’t fulfill if he winds up dead in this land of yours.”

“From what I hear, he wasn’t so welcome back in Almyra,” Judith retorted, crossing her arms. “And need I remind you, Claude has obligations to the Alliance as well.”

Claude sat back on his bed. He watched in amusement as the two warriors exchanged heated words with each other. They only stopped bickering once they heard Claude fall into a fit of coughing and wheezing, reminding them that they were supposed to be taking care of the young lord, not causing him more stress. Judith moved quickly to remove the cup from his hands and placed it back on the silver tray. 

“I-I’m okay,” Claude said while attempting to steady his breath. “And as much I’d love to watch you two kill each other, I _ do _ have something to say on this matter.” He momentarily closed his eyes and when they reopened, the pair of emeralds were filled with absolute resolve. In this moment, he looked more alive than ever. “Listen, I’m not running back home with my tail between my legs. After my short time in Fódlan, I understand more than ever what I need to do. For the future of both Fódlan _ and _ Almyra. _ Please_, my friends. Can you trust me?” 

Claude found comfort in watching his friends’ expressions turn from apprehension to understanding as he continued to speak. “Judith, can you please make arrangements for me to enroll in the Officer’s Academy this week? I know I would be starting later than planned due to this _ little incident_, but I know you can pull some strings.”

She smiled at him, recognizing the fire in the young boy’s eyes. It was just seventeen years ago when Claude’s mother announced plans to renounce her nobility and marry the Almyran crown prince, Claude’s father. She could never forget that look and his familiar pair of green eyes burning with that same determination made sure of it. _ He gets it from her, without a doubt. _

“Alright, boy. You got it.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It was safe to say that Claude von Riegan was thriving at the Officer’s Academy. Despite his late arrival, he was appointed as the house leader of the Golden Deer House and charmed his way to making friends across the three houses. Other than Lorenz, who Judith amusingly referred to as the “Gloucester boy” and seemed to begrudge Claude for stripping him of his short-lived house leader position, he was met with a warm reception from the other students. Well, except for one other particular blue-haired student named Byleth.

Only a few weeks into the school year and Claude had figured out most of the students. Leonie viewed Byleth as her rival and worked tirelessly to one day surpass her. Lorenz, to the naked eye, seemed like just another uptight, self-important noble, but he actually had a kind soul and _ totally _had a huge crush on Leonie. He even figured out that Lysithea bore two Crests, although he has yet to understand how that was possible.

However, when it came to Byleth, she was still very much a mystery to him. Sure, there were a handful of things he learned about her in passing. For one, he knew that both Byleth and her father, Jeralt, were a pair of well-known mercenaries before coming to Garreg Mach. He also discovered that she had quite the reputation — _ the Ashen Demon_, they called her. Fearless with remarkable strength and speed, she cut down her enemies without a hint of emotion. 

It was hard to believe that the young girl sitting across the library table from him was capable of _ that._ The warm glow of the candlelight embraced her pale skin and seemed to emphasize her small frame. With an uncharacteristically girly pink ribbon wrapped at the crown of her head, she was twirling a strand of dark blue hair as she studied the book in front of her. Looking at her like this, she seemed so… _ harmless._ But maybe that’s what made her so intriguing.

Claude groaned. It was utterly frustrating how much of a distraction she was to him. He was supposed to use this year to learn how to navigate the political scene in Fódlan, figure out how this nation would fit into his own ambitions, and prove himself to his parents. However, Claude was not a man without faults — he could not help but be inexplicably drawn to her.

He justified getting wrapped up in this small obsession by convincing himself that it was to better understand the Church. It was obvious to him that the Church was hiding things — _ major _things — and he didn’t like how much power it had in controlling all of Fódlan. If his suspicions were right, he knew that if he were to fully realize his ambitions, he may need to come to a head with the Church itself. He didn’t want to get too ahead of himself, though. He still knew next to nothing about the inner workings of the Church. He was an outsider, despite being heralded as the future leader of the Alliance, and he knew it would be an impossible task to uncover the Church’s secrets by himself. But, there was Byleth sitting right in front of him — the daughter of the captain of the knights. Could she be his ticket to catch a glimpse of the inside?

“Teach?”

“You really have to stop calling me that,” Byleth sighed. “And you’re distracting me.”

“_Byleth_,” Claude corrected himself with a mischievous grin. “So, you’re saying you find me distracting?" He watched her squirm and enjoyed the way her cheeks grew hot with a blush. She shot him a disapproving look.

“I didn’t mean—”

“I’m just teasing.” Claude gives her a reassuring wink. “I was just hoping to ask you something. I hear you were a mercenary before coming to Garreg Mach. I find it interesting that you decided to enroll in the Academy. Was it to become a knight, like your father?”

“No,” Byleth said, shifting in her seat uncomfortably. “I came to the Garreg Mach because the church requested my father’s service to the Knights. Then, I was given a scholarship to attend the Academy. I…” Byleth paused briefly. “I didn’t really have a choice.” 

“So, have you given thought to what_ you _want? I’m sure even you might have an ambition or two.”

Byleth shook her head. “Being a mercenary doesn’t really afford you the luxury to dream like that, I suppose.”

“I suppose you’re right…” Claude trailed off, studying her face. His green eyes delved into hers. He was dying of curiosity and felt tempted to push a little further, but he could tell now wasn’t the right time. Instead, he leaned in, resting his elbows on the table. “Hey, I think I figured out why we get along so well.”

She balked at his estimation of their relationship. “Please, enlighten me.”

“We’re both outsiders, you and me,” he explained. “Maybe that’s why I find you so fascinating. You’re not like the other students here, you know?”

“I could say the same of you,” she replied. “You’re not very… noble-like.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Claude laughed. “But, you’re right, I’m not. I didn’t exactly grow up in the life of luxury.”

“So where did you grow up?”

Claude, caught off guard, cleared his throat. _ Play it cool_, he ordered himself. Then, as if the goddess herself bestowed a blessing, the clocktower rang loudly in the distance. _ The dinner bell_. 

“_Ah_, would you look at that,” Claude said, clicking his teeth. He stood up at the table and eagerly strode over to her. Before Byleth could ask what he was doing, he took her hand and dragged her off her seat. “Come, better hurry before Raphael clears the dining hall!”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Beads of sweat dripped down Claude’s neck as crouched behind a bush and struggled to catch his breath. Claude took pride in being a competent fighter and an excellent marksman with the bow. However, in the past few weeks, he was too preoccupied with catching up on his studies and recovering from being _ poisoned_, which left him little time for bow practice or any physical training at all. Suffice to say, he was feeling out of shape. And this was not exactly a great moment to feel out of shape.

He was in the middle of a mock battle between the Church of Seiros soldiers and the Golden Deer House. It was only the first training exercise of the weekend and he was already feeling fatigued. In the corner of his eye, he saw a bob of dark blue hair race over to him, shoving a vulnerary into his hand.

“Take this,” Byleth whispered. 

Claude thanked her, popping open the bottle with his teeth. He absentmindedly muttered blessings in his Almyran tongue when he finally felt some energy return to his body. Byleth peered over his shoulder and motioned for someone to come over. As Ignatz and Raphael crept over to them, she grabbed a broken tree branch and began drawing a diagram in the soil.

“We need a new plan.” Byleth went straight to business. 

Claude and Byleth spent the next few minutes bouncing ideas off each other. Byleth was impressed that Claude had an aptitude for tactical planning (_ Maybe he actually studied, _she wondered to herself), and Claude was pleasantly surprised that Byleth was receptive to his schemes. Byleth swiftly moved across the field to position the rest of the Golden Deer students for the opening attack. When they were satisfied with their plan, Claude looked towards his partner with confidence.

“Alright, Teach,” Claude said with a smile tugging at his lips. He nocked a padded arrow in his training bow. “At the ready.”

With a nod, she moved into her position. “_Now_,” she whispered towards Claude and Ignatz. 

Immediately, Byleth and Raphael sprang up from their covers and rushed towards the group of swordsmen in a triangle formation. Two mages were positioned in the center. The mages, as they predicted, reached for their tomes and began casting magical attack spells. Byleth skillfully knocked the first two swordsmen off their feet and, in a quick, successive movement, she forcefully swung her blunt training sword across their chests. She felt arrows whizzing pass her as Claude and Ignatz attacked the mages to prevent them from completing their spells. As she dodged a swing of a sword from another incoming soldier, she cried out, “Raphael, switch out!”

Raphael, the eager and burly brawler, came barreling in behind her and knocked the soldier down with his wooden gauntlets. Byleth sped past Raphael towards a pair of lancers ambushing Claude and Ignatz, who were both busy sending off finishing attacks on the mages. 

“Lysithea! Leonie!”

A huge magic blast of miasma plowed into the field in front of the lancers’ feet with perfect precision, halting their advances.

“W-what?” she heard one of them gasp. They didn’t know what hit them next. Byleth seemed to materialize out of nowhere and took out one soldier from behind while Leonie’s arrows caught the other. 

If Claude had any spare time to think, he would stand in awe of her, though he was only able to catch flashes of her black cloak flitting across the battlefield. Byleth moved with incredible speed and precision, her voice commanding authority as she knocked down anyone who dared to approach her. She looked deadly. _ And hot. _

Byleth momentarily stopped in front of him and caught his eyes with hers. “Claude, with me!” She called over to him, and he obeyed. They worked together in perfect sync, with Claude supporting her from long range as Byleth braced the frontlines, taking down soldiers twice her size without an ounce of fear in her eyes.

Time seemed to pass quickly as the team defeated wave after wave of Church soldiers. When the last wave seemed to be defeated, the group gathered in the forest clearing, celebrating their first victory together. Professor Seteth joined them shortly and commended the students on their excellent teamwork. He ushered the group to walk towards the main encampment area for dinner.

“Aw yeah!” Raphael roared, pumping his fist in the air. “I worked myself an appetite, I hope there’s enough food for seconds - or even thirds!”

“Raphael, _ please_!” Lorenz balked.

The group erupted in rowdy laughter as they walked through the forest. Chatter soon filled the air: Lysithea gushing about Byleth’s command of the battlefield, Hilda bemoaning the current state of her dirty clothing, and Lorenz imploring the professor to give him a more befitting role of his noble status for the next training exercise.

Claude, noticing that Byleth was trailing behind the group, slowed his pace to walk next to her. She turned her head towards him curiously, and he noticed her expression softened. He didn’t anticipate feeling completely unprepared for the next moment. The way she cocked her head to the side, the corners of her lips slowly curling into a small smile — it was a sight so warm, soft, and sweet that it made his chest tighten and his heart pound.

_ Byleth was smiling at him_.

Claude didn’t know Byleth very well, but even he knew that such a display of emotion was rare. He stared back at her warmly and intensely, trying to commit this sight to memory.

“You did great out there,” Byleth said, her voice humming with contentment.

Claude stretched out his arms behind his head, unable to hold back the broad, boyish grin forming across his face. “Yeah, you and me, Teach. We make a pretty great team.” A hint of flirtatiousness danced in his voice.

He watched Byleth’s cheeks flush with an adorable shade of pink and he felt something flutter in his stomach. The sound of laughter from the other students filled the silence as they continued walking down the forest path together, side by side. She looked away from him, but her smile didn’t fade.

“Guess it wasn’t so bad that I was stuck with you.”

_ Home. _

The word suddenly rang in his ears. For the first time in many years, Claude felt like he belonged somewhere. He felt at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since my last update! It's a two-chapter update today, so hopefully that makes up for it. Also, I'm experimenting with POV switching, so please bear with me!
> 
> Tags have also been updated for this story ~ (ꈍ ᴗ ꈍ✿)


	3. The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “My name is Sothis,” the young girl replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She stood up and smirked. “But... I am also known as The Beginning.”
> 
> Sothis is here and she is not happy with Byleth. Also, Claude is soft. ~(ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ✿)

The next few days of training exercises went by fairly quickly. Byleth, even with her measured stamina, was feeling tired by the third day. Her fellow Golden Deer students weren’t well-versed in battle and after their impressive first battle, they depended her and Claude to take the lead. At first, she protested the idea of working that closely with him, but after a little while, she found that she didn’t mind it too much. Byleth admitted that she might have grossly underestimated him. 

Despite his best efforts to come off as a lackadaisical student, Byleth recognized that he had strong skills in tactical planning. It was strange, she thought, the way he casually suggested brilliant schemes that sent the Church soldiers’ tactics into such a state of disarray, it allowed Byleth and the other students to defeat them with ease. He made it seem so effortless, and she wondered if that was part of his scheme as well.

On this morning, Claude and Byleth were tasked with hunting food for evening bonfire party that would conclude the Academy’s camping trip. When Byleth stepped out of her tent at the break of dawn, she found Claude already there, leaning against a tree and staring off into the sky. He was dressed in his usual Academy uniform, a gold cape draped over his shoulder. His coat was unbuttoned just a bit lower than usual today, exposing his golden tan skin to the morning sun — a tempting sight that made Byleth wonder how Claude’s chest would feel under her fingertips. Claude noticed her lingering stare and waved, breaking his spell on her. There was something smug in the way he casually twirled his braid as he watched Byleth attempt to compose herself.

“I take it you’re not a morning person?” he laughed, amused at her disheveled appearance.

It is true that Byleth does not sleep well, or very much at all. Every time she does try to rest, she’s haunted by the same dream that shakes her awake. She would see a vision of a young girl with a childlike appearance sitting upon a large stone throne, much too large for her tiny frame. She would have dark, seafoam-green hair parted into pigtails so long that it reached her feet. This young girl would always be asleep, and as soon as she appeared, she would vanish.

Byleth frowned at Claude, reaching in her pocket to search for her pink hair ribbon. She attempted to quickly fasten the ribbon to the crown of her head, but the tangled mess of her hair made her fumble and fail. This made Claude laugh even harder.

“Here, let me help you.”

“Wait, what are you—!” she objected, but Claude already positioned himself behind her and was running his smooth hands through her hair. She was confused as she felt gentle tugging.

_Is he… braiding my hair?! _

“There! Looks good, if I do say so myself,” Claude said triumphantly as he fastened the end of the braid with the pink ribbon. He stepped around to face her, examining his handiwork. Sure enough, Byleth’s hair was now expertly tied into a loose fishtail braid. “One of my hidden talents.” He then dared to give her a wink.

A hot blush flooded her cheeks. “Thanks,” was all she managed to say. She lightly ran her fingers over her hair, impressed by how secure the braid felt. “Alright, let’s just get this over with.” 

The pair picked up their weapons and headed off into the forest. They worked together quickly. Byleth managed to catch a handful of squirrels and Gronder foxes, while Claude’s arrows captured half a dozen pheasants. 

“Think this is enough?” Byleth asked, peering into their hunting crate.

“Nah, this will be only the first course for Raphael,” Claude chuckled. He looked pleased when Byleth laughed in response.

They continued walking down the forest path together, hunting down additional pheasants, rabbits, and squirrels along the way. Byleth even attempted killing a deer, her mouth watering at the thought of a teppanyaki dish, but Claude whined at her about how they were the _ Golden Deer, how could you even think about killing that deer! _

By late morning, they were satisfied with their bounty and decided to take a break by a creek. Byleth shared her foraged berries with Claude, which he happily accepted, and they relaxed in silence. _ Let’s skip the chatter and enjoy a moment of peace_, Claude had said to her, and she was grateful for it. Sure, there were physical challenges of this week’s camping trip, but the constant social interaction required of her these past few days proved to be even more of a challenge. If she was being honest, it totally drained her. She missed mercenary life. It was a solitary, quiet life, but it was just how she liked it. 

“Did you hear that?” 

Byleth’s attention snapped to focus on the sound of a low rustle in the forest brush. Something, or _ someone_, was approaching them. She stood up abruptly, unsheathing her silver sword, and Claude nocked an arrow in his bow. 

It was an ambush. The two students soon found themselves encircled by a group of large, scruffy men. By the way they were dressed, Byleth guessed they were thieves. Between gritted teeth, she counted five, _ no _ — six. “Something tells me this isn’t a training exercise,” Byleth muttered. 

“Judging by their _ very _ pointy weapons, I think that is a good guess,” Claude said, raising his bow. “Just who are you guys anyway?!”

“We’re looking for the _ half-breed_,” a man spat out. 

Claude winced at the word. “Sorry, you’re going to have to be a little more specific,” Claude said, feigning ignorance. One of the men roared in response and ran towards Claude with an axe swinging in his direction. Claude sidestepped to dodge the attack, and clicked his teeth mockingly. “_Ooh_, so violent!”

The man cursed him and raised his axe to attempt another strike. However, his axe stopped mid-swing and his feet staggered. He suddenly fell to the ground, revealing Byleth’s sword thrust in his back. Claude looked at her in surprise, wondering when exactly she left his side.

_“Shit, is that—?”_

“Oh, have you met my friend over here? The Ashen Demon?” Claude said, his eyes glinting with amusement. Byleth tensed and shot him a furious look, anger radiating from every muscle in her body. _ Careful_, her eyes warned him.

“I-I didn’t sign up for this!” one of the men exclaimed and ran off. One by one, the men followed after him, fleeing the scene. All but one man, who Byleth presumed to be the leader of the group, remained.

“Cowards! The lot of you!” he growled and turned his focus on Byleth. “Looks like I’ll just have to take you out out myself.”

She rolled her eyes. The man charged recklessly forward, his lance pointed at Byleth’s throat. She ducked under his lance and plunged her sword deep into his shoulder. He fell with ease. As she wiped the blood off her sword with her cloak, Claude made his way over to her. 

“Where did you hear that name?” she asked, anger boiling in her voice.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Claude said apologetically. He held up his hands innocently. “I heard some people around the monastery call you that. Had I known it would make you this angry at me—”

“_Claude!_”

Byleth interrupted him. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Claude’s attacker standing, gripping his bleeding shoulder in pain. His face was suppressed with rage and he held a heavy, steel hand axe. Without warning, he sent the axe straight towards Claude’s heart.

Panic shot through her entire body. Her mind was cloudy as she threw herself in front of Claude, pinning him against a tree. Sweat dripped down her forehead and her stomach dropped when she realized what she had done. Byleth screamed curses in her head — _ Stupid! Stupid! You never panic! What happened?! _She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the axe to inevitably cut into her back.

But, the pain never came. Instead, she heard a loud _ thump _ in her ears, and then she couldn’t hear anything at all. Her ears felt like it was being filled with water and her surroundings melted away as everything turned pitch-black.

_ Am I… dead? _

A familiar dim light formed in front of her. Byleth’s eyes widened when she found herself staring at the same mysterious green-haired girl who frequented her dreams. The girl had her eyes closed as she sat on the massive stone throne, her chin resting in one hand. Suddenly, her eyes shot open in anger. 

“Honestly,” she said sharply. “What were you trying to accomplish with that stunt?!" 

“I… W-who are you?” Byleth fumbled over her words.

“My name is Sothis,” the young girl replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She stood up and smirked. “But... I am also known as The Beginning.”

There was silence as Sothis closed the distance between them. She groaned impatiently, as if reading Byleth’s thoughts. “No, you are not dead, for I have stopped the flow of time. However… once time resumes, the axe will tear into your flesh and you will surely meet your end.”

Byleth gaped at her. She wanted to ask questions, but her throat felt incredibly dry. _ Am I ready to die? _The fear of impending death plunged deep within her. She was certainly not ready. No, she was not ready to leave her father alone.

“You really are quite troublesome,” Sothis chided. She sighed and looked at Byleth wistfully. “You and I… I do not know why, but it appears that our fates are intertwined. And so, it seems I must help you.” She took a few steps back and held her palms open at the center of her chest. A warm, bright light illuminated from her hands. From the light, a spell circle appeared and her eyes lit up. “Yes, I believe this will work…” Sothis turned her attention back to Byleth. “In a few moments, I shall turn back the hands of time. I cannot wind back time too far, but all is well. You are aware of what is to come, which means you will _ not _ act like a fool again and sacrifice our lives for that boy.” The light around her hands intensified. “Now go, you who bears the flames within. Drift through the flow of time to find the answers that you seek!”

“W-wait!” Byleth managed to cry out in a strained voice. She squinted, desperately trying to locate Sothis through the blinding light. It was a useless effort, and within a few seconds, it completely engulfed them both. Byleth felt another loud _ thump _ pulse through her ears, and she found herself back in the forest, staring into Claude’s eyes.

“Look, I’m sorry—” Claude began. She raised a finger to silence him. Byleth whipped her head around to locate the attacker, who already started to stand up. She paced over to him and sent her sword straight into his heart. 

Claude stood still, stunned. Byleth’s eyes were dangerous when she looked back to him. 

“Don’t…” she said slowly. “_...ever _ call me that again.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Chatter littered the air along with smoke from the nearby bonfire. Students from all three houses mingled together, enjoying the feast in front of them. Raphael, three meat skewers in his hands, was enjoying his meal with Ingrid, who seemed to be the only student at the Academy to have an appetite to rival Raphael’s. A drunk Sylvain was nuzzling his face into Felix’s neck, causing Felix to balk at him and blush furiously. Even Ashe, Bernadetta, and Marianne were happily chatting away, their individual shy dispositions temporarily subsided as they shared a bottle of wine together.

“Ah! We did it!” Hilda exclaimed. She popped open a bottle of wine and poured Claude and herself a serving.

“Indeed,” Claude agreed. He raised his cup towards her triumphantly. “And, guess what? I snuck a peek at the Professor’s grading papers. We all passed with flying colors.”

Hilda giggled, clinking her goblet against Claude’s. “All thanks to Byleth, no doubt.”

“And what about _ me_?” Claude gasped, his mouth gaped open in fake shock. “I was clearly the brains of the operation!”

“Well, I don’t know about _ that_,” Hilda teased, her voice singing. “But you two did make quite the team. Speaking of our friend Byleth, have you seen her?”

“Hm, actually, no. I haven’t,” he said. Claude’s eyes quickly scanned the area, but when he couldn’t locate her, he excused himself. He explained that he wanted to tell her about the passing grades, but Hilda looked at him with a raised eyebrow and giggled. _ Suuuure… _ she had said to him with a wink. 

Claude found Byleth tucked away in the corner of the party, well-distanced from the crowd. She was sitting on the grass, her legs tucked close to her chest and her chin resting on her knees. Her cloak was draped loosely around her shoulders. Byleth stared into the fire, watching wisps of smoke rise into the air. He cleared his throat as he approached her.

“May I?” he asked. She nodded blankly. He carefully sat down next to her. Her face was stony as ever, and he desperately wanted to know what she was thinking. She didn’t look angry anymore, but he still felt guilty being at the receiving end of her anger. “I wanted to apologize about earlier.”

“It’s okay,” she replied curtly. 

“Ah, but it’s not. It obviously upset you,” Claude said gently. “If you feel comfortable talking about it, I’d like to ask why.”

“I never liked that name. _ Ashen Demon. _ It makes me sound like a monster.” Byleth turned her head to look at him, her blue eyes looked almost pleading. “It’s not true, you know.”

“What’s not true?”

“That I kill without emotion,” she replied, her voice small. “It’s never easy… to take a life. But I had to do it. To survive.”

“Hey, I get it,” Claude said, his voice soft and coaxing. “Remember when I told you that we’re alike? Well, I meant it. I get it what it’s like to have to fight for survival. I had to grow up the same way, too. Where I’m from—”

“Almyra?” she asked, but her tone suggested that she already knew. Claude’s heart stopped and he stared at her, eyes widened. “Oh, was that supposed to be a secret?” She scoffed playfully. “If so, you’re not doing a very good job. You were murmuring things in Almyran the other day.”

“An astute observation, Teach,” Claude responded, a feeling of relief washing over him as he smiled brightly at her. “Well, what I was trying to say is that I’ve always been viewed as an outsider, even as a little kid. I’ve been resented and hated. There have even been attempts on my _ life_. So, I had to learn how to fight back to survive. And I continue to keep fighting. I...” He paused, his green eyes glowing against the crackling fire. “I have to.”

“I understand," Byleth said softly, a faint smile crossing her lips as she gave him a small nod. The movement made a strand of hair slip out of her braid and into the middle of her face, tempting Claude to push it out of her eyes. 

“Ah, almost forgot!” Claude said suddenly, attempting to distract himself from Byleth’s charm. He reached into his coat and pulled out a silver goblet and a bottle of Morfis-plum wine. “I snuck this out. Just for us.”

“You mean you stole it,” Byleth said in amusement, her laughter floating through the air like a melody.

Claude’s heart lurched, silently cursing himself for being enraptured by something so simple as her laughter. “You know…” he said slowly as he poured wine into the goblet. “I never got the chance to properly thank you for saving my life.” 

Byleth’s fingers lightly brushed over Claude’s when she reached out for the cup. A warm, genuine smile reached his lips. Wordlessly, he placed the goblet down and wrapped both his hands around her outstretched hand. “Thank you. _ Seriously._" Claude couldn’t help but look back at her affectionately and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Being this close to her, he noticed how good she smelled and he allowed himself to indulge in the scent. She smelled like cinnamon, honey, and danger all at the same time. 

If Byleth was in a normal state of mind, she would have pulled away from his touch. But she was tired and he was _warm_. For a moment, she didn’t move and simply enjoyed the warmth of his hands over hers. With a coy smile, she said, “Let’s make a toast.” Claude’s eyes lit up with curiosity and watched her attentively as she used her free hand to pick up the goblet.

“To the outsiders,” she proclaimed.

  
Maybe it was the way she was looking at him, her wide, blue eyes twinkling like stars that freckled the night sky, or the way her comforting smile seemed to exude happiness — _ real _ happiness. With their hands and eyes connected, they both felt it. Their walls — their emotional defenses — were slowly being lowered as they allowed themselves to feel a genuine connection, maybe for the first time in their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm in love with the idea that Claude likes to braid Byleth's hair.
> 
> Up next: The Golden Deer students hear rumblings about a rebellion against the Church. 
> 
> 'Til next time! ♡


End file.
